On International women’s day IIMC organised ‘The Media Maha

New Delhi, 8th March, 2019 : To celebrate the power of an inclusive media and highlight the contribution of women in the field, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi kick-started today its two-day annual media fest, the Media Mahakumbh, in association with Facebook, ScoopWhoop and Ministry of AYUSH.

A festival bigger and better than before, a perfect
amalgamation of knowledge and creativity – Media Mahakumbh aimed to provide
everyone with a platform to empower and be empowered. Shri K.G. Suresh, IIMC Director General and Festival Patron, rightly
stated that “Kumbh at Prayagraj might have concluded, but the Kumbh at IIMC is
all set to begin today. The fest aims to highlight how the
spirit of an independent media in a democracy as sturdy as ours resides in our
agency to democratise the public discourse and provide an inclusive platform
for discussing opinions and orientations across the ideological spectrum”.

The highlight of the festival was ‘The Media Maha Summit’, a panel
discussion that provided a platform to women media connoisseurs to share their
unheard stories and experiences, enlightening and encouraging young media
enthusiasts. This panel discussion on
‘Women Achievers’, moderated by
Festival Director, Dr. Anubhuti Yadav,
hosted some of the most prominent women of the media industry, including Smita
Prakash; Group Editor, Asian News International (ANI), Ritu Kapur; Co-founder
& CEO, Quintillion Media, Sheetal Rajput; Managing Editor, JanTantra TV,
Shruti Jain; Marketing & Communication Specialist and Sakshi Joshi, along
with some of IIMC’s distinguished faculty members.

Ms.Smita Prakash; Group Editor, Asian News
International (ANI), shared her inspiring journey with the students and
professionals during the inaugural session andthanked IIMC for organising this
extravaganza.Addressing the issues faced by women in media, she said
“Women now do not face challenges because 30 years ago we startedthe battle against
such discrimination. Today, we hire women because of their talent and skills
not because they are docile and would not indulge in unionism. However, to
further excel in the industry, young women entering the media-world should
focus on harnessing skills like editing and photography and be digitally-savvy”.

Ms Ritu KapurCo-founder & CEO, Quintillion
Media, advised to be very sensitive about the language that is being used in
media and also stated there is a need for women in decision making roles. Women
have to stand up for themselves and report if they feel any kind of harassment
at their workplace.”

“Potrayal of women in media is also a concern,
Media should stop commodifying women. Apart from representation in the news, advertisements
also have a huge impact on the society – so we need to ponder.” Shri Suresh
Added.

A key highlight of the fest was a
special performance by India’s most celebrated classical dancer and Padma
Vibhushan awardee Dr. Sonal Mansingh.
Dr Mansingh’s truly breath-taking performance ‘Sankalp se Siddhi’ was an ode to
the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi.

With thirteen competitive events, the
fest served as a breeding ground for disruptively creative ideas. Events such
as the Media Quiz, TV reporting competition‘Perfect Prastuti’, marketing
competition ‘Seal the Deal’, and lab journal competition ‘The Fine Print’, all showcased
the power of path-breaking ideas. Some breath-taking performances will be
staged during ‘MahaNatya’ – Street theatre competition, ‘Jump Street’ – Dance
competition and ‘Battle of bands’ on March 9.

Dr. Anubhuti Yadav shared that “The
two-day festival did not only serve as a platform to discuss numerous
socially-relevant issues, but also brought together all the stakeholders of the
media industry – from media students who stand at the brink of joining the
industry to seasoned professionals who have firmly established their space in
the volatile media landscape”.

The festival will end with the
scintillating tunes of celebrated singer
B Praak’s songs filling the entire campus and creating home in the hearts
and minds of the audience on March 9.

Media Mahakumbh, the biggest media festival in the country, aimed to welcome all attendees to the wondrous world of media and was an event that surely had something for everyone.